 |
 |
“Kinky Boots” |
|
For something a little racy and modern, visit the Al Hirschfeld Theatre to see Broadway’s “Kinky Boots.” The winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, “Kinky Boots” tells the story of Charlie Price (Stark Sands), a young man desperate to save his family’s shoe factory and the chance encounter that changes his life – a run-in with Lola (the phenomenal Billy Porter), a London drag queen who is larger than life, and entirely too large for the flimsy high heels she wears. It seems like a match made in heaven. Lola has the style to design a line of heavy-duty stiletto-heeled boots and access to the drag queens who will buy them, and Charlie has the know-how to build a better boot. But can a fabulous drag queen be accepted in a provincial factory town, and can Charlie rally a team of reluctant workers? It’s a musical comedy, so of course the answer is yes. But the joy is in the journey, and watching this funny and heart-felt story unfold is magical. “Kinky Boots” features a Tony Award-winning score by Grammy winning singer and songwriter Cyndi Lauper, book by four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein, and Tony-winning choreography by Jerry Mitchell. With rousing dance numbers like “Everybody Say Yeah” and “Raise You Up/Just Be” and soulful ballads like “Soul of a Man” and “Not My Father’s Son,” “Kinky Boots” earns its place in Broadway musical history. |
The show also features two of the most enjoyable performances on Broadway, Annaleigh Ashford’s Lauren, the factory worker who falls for her boss, and Daniel Stewart Sherman’s Don, the chauvinistic, homophobic factory worker who gives Lola and Charlie an equally hard time. Ashford shows solid comic chops as the somewhat ditzy and befuddled Lauren, and she knows exactly how to find the heart and humor in Lauper’s songs. She fully holds her own against Billy Porter’s outrageous Lola. Sherman fully plays up Don’s rough exterior, but always shows a little of the vulnerability lurking inside the character. “Kinky Boots” is currently one of the hottest tickets on Broadway, so if you are planning a New York excursion, get your tickets in advance or you may miss your chance. Smart travelers know that it is best to be prepared. Don’t miss your opportunity to see a new Broadway hit that is destined to become a classic in due time. by Byrne Harrison |
 |